This application claims the priority of German Patent Application Serial No. 199 01 775.1, filed Jan. 18. 1999, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates, in general, to a connecting framework for joining two frame members, such as a crossbeam profile and a post profile of a facade or glass roof, and more particularly to a connection frame in which two frame members are interconnected by a joint member to form a T.
German Pat. No. DE 38 09 951 A1 describes a T-connection frame between a crossbeam profile and a post profile, whereby both profiles have each an interior chamber and are interconnected by a joint member in the form of a U-shaped joint member of light metal which extends across the entire cross section of the interior chamber of the crossbeam profile. The joint member has a toggle lever like bridge between the plate-shaped legs of the joint member and is formed with a threaded bore for receiving a clamping screw which has a head portion bearing against an end face of the joint member. The bridge has a central web part, which is formed with the threaded bore for the clamping screw, and web parts which are connected with the legs and extend at an obtuse angle relative to the legs. After insertion of the joint member through the confronting end of the crossbeam profile, a tightening of the clamping screw causes the legs, which are coated with an adhesive, to be pressed against the facing inner surfaces of the crossbeam profile so as to realize a reliable bond between the plate-shaped legs of the joint member and the crossbeam profile. The joint member further includes a collared bolt which is insertable in the joint member and can be guided through a bore into the interior chamber of the post profile for interconnecting the crossbeam profile and the post profile. As the front end of the collared bolt is provided with an indexing recess, the collared bolt can receive a part of the bore wall in its indexing recess, thereby realizing a form-fitting connection between the collared bolt and the post profile. The collared bolt is supported by a spring and can be inserted in the joint member in opposition to the action of the spring, so long as a crossbar is placed between two mounted post profiles.
This conventional T-shaped connection suffers shortcomings because the joint member extends across the entire cross section of the interior chamber of the crossbeam profile so that crossbeam profiles of varying structural height require different joint members.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an improved T-shaped connection frame, obviating the afore-stated drawbacks.
In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved T-shaped connection frame which is so configured as to allow use of a same joint member for crossbeam profiles irrespective of the cross section of their interior chamber.
These objects, and others which will become apparent hereinafter, are attained in accordance with one aspect of the present invention by providing a joint member for interconnecting two frame members in the form of a T, whereby the joint member is a formed body which is so received in the interior chamber of one of the frame members as to extend only across part of a cross section of the interior chamber and destined to engage in the interior chamber of the other one of the frame members, whereby the formed body is securable to an anchoring member arranged adjacent an outer wall of the one of the frame members, with the outer wall extending in parallel disposition to a glass panel plane.
According to another feature of the present invention, the formed body of the joint member may be made of light metal sections, die casting sections. extruded sections, or plastic material. Examples include cast aluminum, cast aluminum alloy, injection-molded plastic material, e.g. of polyamide or PVC. optionally reinforced with fiber (e.g. carbon reinforced, plastics reinforced and/or glass fiber reinforced).
The anchoring member extending at or near the outer wall of the interior chamber may include an arm and an anchoring receptacle formed in one piece with the arm and defining a bore for receiving a screw fastener, or may be designed as a boundary web of an anchoring groove.